The Raiders will go forward in 2020 without wide receiver Tyrell Williams.
Williams was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, the Raiders announced, a week after it was revealed he had a torn labrum. Field Yates of ESPN was the first to report the news.
Had the Raiders placed Williams on the 53-man roster Saturday and then placed him on injured reserve the following day, he would have been eligible to return this season after missing the first eight games. By making the move now, Williams is done for the year, an indication that the injury was too severe to count on him in 2020.
Plans have already been underway to go forth without Williams, a four-year veteran and one of the most experienced wide receivers on the roster. The likelihood, given Williams history of injury, is that hes done as a Raider. The final two years of his contract call for $11.5 million in 2021 and 2022 with no acceleration against the salary cap.
Williams, 28, was targeted by the Raiders in free agency heading in to the 2019 season and received a four-year contract worth a maximum value of $44 million. He will end up collecting $21.1 million of that figure after battling through a 2019 season with plantar faciitis on both feet and finishing with 42 receptions for 651 yards and five touchdowns.
A projected starter, Williams’ absence means the Raiders are looking for a second outside receiver alongside No. 12 overall draft pick Henry Ruggs III, with second-year receiver Hunter Renfrow doing most of his work from the slot. The candidates are rookie third-round pick Bryan Edwards, who has been drawing rave reviews during open training camp practices, and veterans Nelson Agholor and Zay Jones.
A first-round draft pick out of USC by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2015, Agholor has the most receptions (224) and yards (2,515) of any wide receiver on the roster. Jones, 25, was a second-round pick by Buffalo in 2017 and was acquired last Oct. 8 in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick as the Raiders were struggling at the position following the release of Antonio Brown and Williams’ difficulties with his feet.
Williams wasn’t the only move as the Raiders got a head start in reducing their roster.The Washington Football Team announced Tuesday evening it had acquired tackle David Sharpe and the Raiders’ seventh-round draft pick in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2021.
Sharpe played in nine games with two starts last season as an injury replacement for Trent Brown and was competing to be the backup tackle on both sides. While Brown was missing camp practices after off-season torn pectoral surgery, veteran Sam Young appeared to move ahead of Sharpe. Brandon Parker, a third-year player, is also on the roster.
In addition, the Raiders released guard/center Jordan Devey and fullback/running back Rod Smith. Defensive end Sharif Finch and guard Jordan Roos were waived and cornerback Nick Nelson was waived with a failed physical designation.
The moves reduced the Raiders roster size to 74, with the final cutdown to 53 coming Saturday.
